Healing a Broken Heart
by The mad wolf
Summary: When Charles Xavier and Erik Lansharr are looking for recruits to go up against Shaw they come across a girl with a horrible past. Can Charles fix her heart, or is it just to broken? And can she help them stop world war three?
1. Chapter 1- Discovery

(No copyright intended)

Chapter One

Charles Xavier and Erik Lensharr both were walking down the street heading to (hopefully) their new recruit. Erik looked at Charles, he wasn't happy that they had had to go all the way to England for this particular mutant.

"Charles why did we come so far? What is so special about this mutant." Charles simply smiled.

"Erik, it's the most powerful one I have ever felt. She was even stronger then you. She seems to have very strong gifts."

Erik just rolled his eyes and kept on walking along next to Charles. Charles couldn't help but smile at the fact that he had clearly won this argument. The went up to a house with a red door and a white picket fence around the edge of the lawn. Charles opened the gate.

' _Help me! Oh god someone help me.'_

Charles froze. He knew that wasn't his imagination. Someone was near. Someone who was so scared, so terrified, so hurt that their single thought cut through all the other thoughts of all the people around Charles. He felt the sheer power come from those few words. They seemed to be oblivious to what they were doing.

'Why won't they just kill me? I want to die.'

Charles realised it was a girl. Why would she want to die? Charles thought to himself. Erik put his hand on Charles' shoulder and whispered "What is it?"

Charles looked away from Erik and looked up at the house and whispered back "Something's wrong. Come on."

They went up to the door and knocked. They waited for a few seconds until the door opened up. Stood in front of them was a middle aged man with a brown comb over. He was a chubby man and had many wrinkles. He offered the men a kind smile, but despite that Charles could feel from the mysterious persons thoughts towards this man, he wasn't a very nice person. Charles looked into the mans eyes and slyly placed two fingers to his temple and let himself into this mans mind. He changed the mans thoughts and manipulated him into letting them in.

Erik looked at him in confusion. He had never just let himself into someone's home before. When he raised his eyebrows, with the unspoken question, Charles just looked away and carried on inside. Erik followed him in anyway. When they got in they were steered through the lounge and into the kitchen where a woman sat. The woman had blond hair and wasn't very pretty, she looked like one of those very stuck up woman. Charles immediately looked at her and said, "Where is she?"

The couple shared a worried and frightened look before changing there expression back to fake confusion. "Who?" They asked.

Charles couldn't cope with the anger, "The girl that you seem to have trapped here. And don't deny it, I can hear her calling out, she's scared, she's frightened, she's hurt and she's here. So I'll ask you again where is she?!" Charles yelled at them. He didn't know why he already seemed so protective over someone he hadn't even met yet. His thoughts were dismissed when he saw both the adult's eyes flicker to the basement door in the kitchen. He made his way over and realised it was unlocked. He opened the door and his breath hitched at what he saw.

There was a young girl sat in the corner of the dark, cold, windowless room. He could see her hands chained behind her back to a wall. Her hair hung around her shoulders hiding her face. Her hair was a deep dirty blond that glowed in the small light that shone through the room. At the slightest of movements it shimmered and flickered in the small amount of light leaking from the open doorway. She slowly looked up he immediately saw the golden like eyes that shined. He let his eyes trail over her frail body it was covered in cuts and bruises that looked like hand prints. She was wearing a white tank top with some white shorts that were patchy and red with blood. And by the looks of things it was her blood.

Her golden eyes locked on him and in a second she was stood up with her back pressed up against the wall a look of complete fear on her face. When Charles took a step towards her, she pushed herself even closer to the wall, flinching as the injuries pressed against the rough granite. Even with all the cuts and bruises, Charles couldn't deny that she was beautiful. Her hair framed her perfect face. He knew he would have to show her they were the same to get her to trust him. He held up his hands like he was surrendering. He was showing her that he had nothing in his hands.

'It's ok,' he whispered in her head. 'I won't hurt you.'

She looked up at him, her eyes were full of shock and hope.

'You're like me?' She whispered in her head.

Charles smiled and nodded.

'Yes I'm like you. I won't hurt you I swear. Me and my friend are here to help you. Do you want us to take you away from here? Because if you want we can do that, and you'd never have to see these people again.' He said in his head. He couldn't bring himself to call them her parents, they didn't deserve that title.

She nodded quickly a small smile playing on her lips. She toke a few steps forward, only to groan in pain as the chains dug into her wrists. Charles quickly made his way over to her and saw the chains were to strong for him to brake.

"Erik I could use your help with these chains." Charles yelled out towards the door. While he wasn't looking the girl looked up at him, he had the warmest blue, eyes she had ever seen. They were full of compassion and love. They were the kindest eyes she had ever seen. All the eyes she'd ever looked into were cold and full of hatred and full of greed. Greed for her gifts, she almost didn't want to call them that considering all the misery they had caused in her life.

Charles backed away slightly making room for Erik as he came in. He held up his hands and the chain creaked until it broke from around her wrists. Her body fell to the ground at the exhaustion, the chains had been one of the only things keeping her steady on her feet. She hadn't had the opportunity to stand alone like this in a very long time. She rubbed her wrists in reliefs, the skin around them was red raw from being chained up for so long.

She couldn't believe she was finally free. She couldn't help but smile. Charles stepped forward and held his hands out to help her up. She gently placed her hands in his and he pulled her up. They looked down at there intwined hands to see that her hands had started to glow gold. When she took her hands away in fear they stopped glowing. Charles looked at her hands and took them again to see if it would happen again. It did not. He looked into her eyes to see they were once again full of fear.

'Has this ever happened before?' Charles thought to her.

She just shook her head no. He gently placed an arm around her the flinch she did, didn't go unnoticed by him. When he saw her legs shaking from her own body wait, he moved his arm to around her waist, put her arm around his shoulders and pulled her body close to his to help her walk.

"What's your name?" Charles asked her aloud this time.

"Sandy..." She whispered. "Sandy Dale."


	2. Chapter 2- Power Reveal

Chapter Two

Charles lead her out of the basement, one arm locked securely around her waist helping her as she stumbled up the stairs to the kitchen. When they got her up the stairs they were greeted with the sight of the couple, waiting for them. The man was holding a shotgun and the woman was holding a baseball bat. Charles made a point of gently pulling Sandy behind him and shielding her body with his. Erik took up a defensive stance by them both.

"You are all freaks and your not going anywhere." The man said. Charles felt Sandy cling to his arm in fear. He took her hand gently in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Why the hell was she locked up?!" Erik surprised everyone by shouting. The couple smirked.

"We were trying to work out a way to stop her. We figured if there was one of her, there had to be more. So we thought we figure out her weaknesses, then in the future we will know how to defend ourselves. She shouldn't exist. She's a freak. She deserves to die." The man snarls. Charles felt Sandy's hand tighten in his, and he gently rubbed circles on the back of it trying to sooth her.

"You would do that to your own daughter? You sick monster." Erik snarled. Admittedly he wasn't a big fan of... well people, but he knew right and he knew wrong, and locking your own child in chains and experimenting on her was definitely in the wrong list.

Both the couple scowled with a look of disgust written on there faces.

"Eugh you think we're related to that... thing? No we are pure. We found her on the streets five years ago and brought her into our home out of the kindness of our hearts. Then she started doing all that freaky stuff, and we had no choice but to hit her over the head and lock her up. And now, it looks we're going to have to do it to you." Charles felt Sandy's hand tighten in his and her sharp intake of breath. He continued to rub soothing circles with his thumb on the back of her hand. He stood in front of her completely.

Before Charles could try and talk him out of it the man reacted. He aimed the gun at Charles' face and pulled the trigger. Erik yelled out to him. But before he could manipulate the bullet something stopped him in his tracks.

"NO!" Sandy yelled, before jumping in front of Charles. She held her hands up and her eyes glowed gold. A golden mist flooded from her body and enveloped the bullet.

The bullet stopped right in front of her face. It slowly turned around and zoomed past the man's face skimming his cheek, leaving a scratch behind. He looked at her shocked. She moved her hands around and the gun lurched out of his hands and was thrown across the room. The man looked shocked and scared at the same time.

"Not again! Never again! Ever!" She said. She moved her hands and the couple flew back and hit there heads so hard they were unconscious. She lowered her hands and her eyes stopped glowing. Charles walked up and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched not used to the touch that didn't hurt. She looked up and could see the unasked question in his eyes. 'If she could do that now, why didn't she do it before?'

"That's why my hands were chained behind my back, so I couldn't do that." She whispered. Charles placed an arm around her and directed her to the door. Erik followed closely. When they were outside Sandy shivered. Charles suddenly remembered that all she was wearing was a tank top and shorts. He slipped his coat off and gently wrapped it around her. She turned her head to look at him, when their eyes locked they just stared like that for a while as Erik locked up her old home. Sandy gave Charles a small smile thank you. They lead her to their car. Charles didn't once remove his arm from around her, even when they got in the car, while Erik got in the front of the car to drive, Charles got in the backseat so he was closer to Sandy.

They both sat there facing each other. She had drawn back a little so there was some space between them, she sat with her hands in her lap fiddling with them. Erik was the first to speak as he started the car and drove to the airport were there was a privet plane waiting for them.

"So, what are your powers?" He asked. She looked up she thought her powers would have been obvious considering what just happened.

"I... It's like this energy that um... It floods from my body and I can do things with it. Mostly I can just make things move or my powers can cause physical harm. But I can only make the energy if my hands are 's why the had my hands behind my back so I couldn't defend myself. All I could do was hear their horrible conversations. Hear what they were going to do to me next, what horrible thing they'd do next. I couldn't stop them, I couldn't do anything." By this point she was crying. Charles leaned forward and gently wiped her face of the falling tears.

"Hey, hey, don't cry. Your safe now. They won't ever hurt you again I promise. I will keep you safe I promise I won't let anyone hurt you ever again." Charles whispered. She was still crying so he pulled her into his arms and onto his lap. She stiffened for a moment before relaxing. Her head lay on his shoulder as she sat on his lap. She cried into his shoulder for a while until, exhaustion of using her powers settled in and she fell asleep.

Charles took this opportunity to gaze at her. Indeed she was very beautiful. Her fiery red hair just passed the length of her shoulders. Her eye lashes gently brushed against her cheeks. She had a small button nose. And she had full luscious pink lips. Yes she was skinny from fatigue, her cheeks where sunken in and she was rather pale. She had scars up her arms and legs. She had one across her neck as well. He placed his head gently over hers and inhaled her scent. It seemed that she naturally smelt of lavender. He buried his face into her hair and whispered "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for what has happened to you. And I will do everything I can to help you." And with that he let her sleep enjoying the feeling of her in his arms.


	3. Chapter 3- Meeting The Team

Chapter Three

Erik drove Sandy and Charles to the facility from the airport. Sandy remained asleep on Charles' lap the whole time, even through the plane ride.

When they finally reached the government base, Charles gently shook the girl in his arms awake. She immediately flinched away from him her eyes wide with fear, until she saw it was him and then she relaxed slightly in his arms.

He got up and pulled her up with him. Once again he put his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side to help steady her. Now being this close to her he could see her black eye, he hadn't noticed the horrid bruise that surrounded her right eye. He gently raised his hand and with the back of his fingers he lightly brushed them over the bruise. She winced slightly at the contact, but didn't mind much, she didn't mind that much if he touched her. Yes she still didn't trust him but he had been the kindest person she had ever met. She knew it wouldn't take long for her to trust if she let her guard down, but she wasn't sure if she could. She didn't want to be hurt again.

His hand lingered on her face for a few seconds before he let it drop. He gazed into her gold eyes feeling like he was falling into them. He gave her a kind smile. She averted her gaze to the ground in slight embarrassment. Charles also looked away and started to lead her into the big white building. Erik had gone in ahead of them to alert the others of there arrival.

Charles helped Sandy limp into the building and into a room with all the others. When Sandy entered the room, six pair of eyes locked immediately on her. Feeling uncomfortable, subconsciously she shifted closer to Charles. He smiled slightly liking the fact she had come to him for comfort.

"Everyone this is Sandy Dale the newest and last member of our group." Charles said holding his arm out towards the group.

A blond haired girl bounded strait up to them and held her hand out to shake. Sandy hadn't had the chance to shake someone's hand in many years and had forgotten the human custom, so thought the woman was going to hit her. She immediately whimpered and backed away slightly from her. The pretty girl looked confused.

'It's ok.' Charles whispered in her mind. 'She doesn't want to hurt you. I promise she doesn't want to hurt you this is my sister Raven. She is one of the kindest people I know.' Sandy looked up at him fear clear in her eyes. He nodded encouragingly. Sandy looked at Raven a kind smile playing on her lips. Sandy wasn't brave enough to take her hand so she simply waved with a shy smile.

"Over there is Alex," Raven said pointing to a boy with blond hair. "That's Angel," She continued pointing to a girl with black hair and dark skin. "That's Hank," she pointed to a boy with glasses. "That's Sean," she pointed to a boy who had curly ginger hair. "And that's Darwin." She pointed to a boy who had dark skin and very close cut black hair. They all smiled and waved at her well Alex waved but have a stiff smile.

"Raven do you think you have any clothes you could lend her?" Charles asked Raven. She smiled and nodded. Raven walked to the door and motioned for Sandy to follow. Sandy unsure looked up at Charles. He smiled reassuringly and nodded in Ravens direction. Sandy reluctantly limped her way over to Raven and followed her through the white corridors to a room. Raven opened the door and held it open for her. Sandy looked around the room. It was plain with white walls a single bed and a joining bathroom. But for Sandy who had spent the last five years living in a cold dark windowless basement chained to a wall, this was luxury. Raven went to her wardrobe and started looking through her clothes, while Sandy went and sat on her bed. Raven got out a plain shirt and some trousers. She was going to tell Sandy to put them on, but when she saw how dirty she was, she held out her hand for Sandy. Sandy looked at her hand confused and a little scared.

"Maybe we should get you cleaned up first." Raven said. Hesitantly Sandy took Ravens hand and she led her to the bathroom.

Raven helped Sandy clean up and by the end of half an hour she looked a bit better. Certainly a lot cleaner. Raven let her change into the clothes and then led her back to the room with the other people in. All eyes locked on them as they walked in. Charles looked up and gave her a warm smile.

"There we go much better. How are you feeling are you ok?" He asked standing in front of her.

"I'm feeling ok." She whispered. Raven went to sit with the others. Charles smiled at her. He could feel that Sandy was beginning to trust Raven and he was happy about that.

He turned to the rest of the group. "Ok me and Erik need to go tell Agent MacTaggert that we are back and we have the final member of the group. Come on Erik. Be nice." He then turned back to Sandy "You'll be fine Sandy, promise." She gave him a nervous smile and nodded. He gave her a one armed hug. She stiffened in his arm for a second before relaxing. He moved away from her and he and Erik left. Sandy stood there awkwardly while all the others chatted. She wasn't quite sure what she should do.

"Hey Sandy, come on you can sit with me." Raven said. Sandy hesitantly sat next to her.

"We should think of code names! We're government agents now." Raven exclaimed. "I want to be, Mystique!" She smiled.

"Damn," Sean exclaimed hitting his leg with his hand. "I wanted to be Mystique." Everyone laughed. Even Sandy couldn't help the small smile on her lips.

"Well tough I called it." She laughed. "Anyway," her whole figure suddenly morphed into Sean. Everyone jumped in shock. "I'm way, more mysterious then you." She said in Sean's voice. Everyone clapped. She morphed back to her normal self smirking.

"What about you Darwin?" She asked.

"Darwin is already a nickname. It fits, adapt to survive and all. Check this out." He said. He then got up and headed over to the fish tank. He then put his face in it and somehow he grew gills on the side of his face. He looked at us and smiled. Everyone once again cheered. He took his head out of the tank and shook the water off of his face.

"What about you?" He asked looking at Sean.

"I want to be, Banshee." He said leaning forward.

"Why do you want to be named after a wailing spirit?" Hank asked curiously.

"You might want to cover your ears." He smirked. Everyone confused placed there hands over there ears. He kneeled down on the floor by the table. He took in a deep breath and then let out a small yelp. He had aimed for the glasses on the table but missed and shattered the window instead. There was a second of silence and then everyone laughed.

"What about you?" Sean asked looking at Angel.

"Angel is my stage name. It fits." She smirked taking her jacket off, which made Sean wolf whistle. Her wing tattoos peeled off her back and shoulders to reveal pink shiny wings.

"You can fly?" Raven exclaimed.

"Uh huh. And um," she pursed her lips and spat out a small ball of fire and it hit the statue in the courtyard. Everyone laughed as Angel shrugged her jacket back on.

"What's your name?" She asked Hank, who looked down embarrassed.

"Mm, how about Big Foot?" Alex joked.

"Yeah well you know what they say about guys with big feet. And well, yours are kinda small." Raven said sticking up for Hank. Everyone laughed. Sandy just frowned her eyebrows in confusion. She didn't get that.

"Alright. Alex, what is your gift what can you do?" Darwin asked Alex.

"Well, I um. I can't, I can't do it in here." He stuttered. He was clearly uncomfortable with his power.

"Can you do it out there?" Darwin asked pointing out the shattered window.

Suddenly everyone around Sandy started chanting. "Alex! Alex! Alex! Alex! Alex!" He finally gave in and stood up and everyone cheered.

"Get down when I tell you to!" He said as he walked out side. Everyone made there way to the windowsill, to watch. They all leaned over the edge looking at him expectantly.

"Get back." He said, waving his arm. Everyone backed up, only to lean over again. Alex looked over and saw this.

"I said get back!" No one moved this time. "Whatever!" He muttered. He started swirling his body in circles, and red swirls launched off his body, hitting the statue and slicing it in half. Everyone laughed and cheered. Alex went back in and sat down.

"What about you goldie?" Alex asked Sandy while taking a sip of his drink. Sandy feeling uncomfortable, looked down at her hands in her lap. Raven placed a hand lightly on her arm.

"It's ok. You can show us." Raven said smiling kindly.

Sandy looked around trying to work out what to use. She pointed her hands at the glass Sean had shattered earlier. Everyone jumped slightly as her eyes turned completely gold. As she raised her hand, the gold mist floated off her skin and towards the glass which followed her movements. She maid it swirl around them and then land in a neat pile of glass in the corner. Her eyes changed back to normal as everyone cheered for her.

Raven smiled jumping up. "I got it. You should be Havok," she smiled pointing at Alex "and you should be Mist." Sandy shrugged she didn't mind either way.

For the next hour, while all the others had fun, she simply sat herself in the corner and used her gifts to crate floating images that appeared in the golden mist to entertain her.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" The voice of Agent MacTaggert cut through Sandy's solitude state, as she saw Agent MacTaggert, Erik and Charles stood outside the broken windowsill. Agent MacTaggert looked completely outraged. Everyone stood to attention including Sandy who left her little corner.

"Who destroyed the statue?" She demanded of the teenagers.

"It was Alex." Hank immediately said not wanting to get in trouble.

"No. We have to call him Havok now. That's his name." Raven exclaimed. She stumbled her way over to Sandy and slung an arm around her shoulders. She noticed how the girl flinched under her arm, but chose to ask her about it later.

"And we were thinking that you should be Professor X," she laughed while pointing to Charles. "And you should be Magneto." She finished looking proud of herself.

"Exceptional." Erik muttered sarcastically.

"Whatever, anyway, Sandy we need you to come with us so we can run a few tests on you." Agent MacTaggert said, looking strait at the golden haired girl.

Sandy stiffened and her breath hitched. She shifted back slightly away from Agent MacTaggert. Everyone looked worriedly at her. They could all see the clear fear, and terror on her face.

'Oh no.' She thought. 'It's happening again. That's exactly what he would say.' Unfortunately for her Charles heard her say that.

'Who? Who said that?' He asked in her mind.

She simply shook her head in response. He made his way over to her and stood directly in front of her. Everyone looked at the pair in confusion.

'Show me.' Charles whispered in her head. He placed both his hands on either side of her face, rested his forehead on hers and let himself into her mind.

She showed him images of a man. With a slightly aged face and hair that went down to his shoulders. It was Shaw. He loomed over her as she appeared to be training. So many memories of being operated on. Of being tortured. She suffered so much. Soon enough she couldn't take reliving her past and pulled away from Charles' hold on her and ran through the broken window away from the group.

Charles was completely shocked. No wonder she was scared of them. No one should have to go through that much pain. And by the looks of it she had been quite young.

"Oh Erik, it's far worse then I thought." He muttered. He then took off running after her.

"Sandy! Sandy wait! Sandy!" He yelled as he followed her. Damn she was fast. When he finally caught up with her, she was sat on the floor her face in his hands as she quietly cried.

"Oh Sandy." He whispered. He knelt down by her, and pulled her shaking form into his arms.


	4. Chapter 4-Comfort

Chapter four

Charles sat with the damaged girl in his arms, as he rocked her back and forth, trying to comfort her. She was shaking. Charles couldn't believe the horrors she had been through in her life, but he didn't and couldn't deny that it had happened. He wished that he could have found her earlier, taken her in like he had with Raven, and cared for her... Loved her.

"Shhh" he whispered in her ear as he rocked the sobbing girl in his arms side to side. "It's ok. You're not there now. You're her, with me. And I won't let anyone touch you like that ever again." Her cries did not lessen in the slightest.

"No. He'll find me. He, he always does. And if he has to he'll walk over your corpses. He'll never let me be. Never." She whispered into his shoulder. She spoke with such surety, that Charles didn't know how to sway her.

"Sandy," he whispered, he was worried that if he spoke any louder the silentness of the night around them would literally crack. "Sandy, look at me." He gently lifted her face to look at him with a coaxing finger under the chin. His blue eyes glowed, piercing through the blackness of the night, that had enveloped around them. Cocooning them in the darkness like a giant cloak that's hides them from the world. Allowing it to be just him, and her, just Charles and Sandy. Just two lonely souls, passing through the night. "I swear on my life, that I will protect and care for you, until you are sick of me."

He was hoping that the last comment would coax a smile from her, but her face remained dark, and unchanged.

"He'll find me. He'll never stop." She paused in her argument and sat up, pulling away from his arms. "I can't stay here, I'm putting you all in danger. I need to get out of here and fast." She fully removed herself from his grasp before standing up and starting to walk away.

Charles quickly stood up to follow, catching her wrist in his hand, turning her around slightly to face him again. He gently reached up and cupped her face in his hand. "Why?" He asked.

"Why what?" She replied.

"Why does he want you? What makes him want you more then anyone else?" He finally asked the question that he couldn't possibly have known would change everything.

Then she told him. And his mind for the first time ever, stopped and was completely silent.


	5. Chapter 5- Truths Revealed

Chapter Five:

"I'll be back in no time at all. You won't even notice that I'm gone." Charles whispered into Sandy's ear as they hugged. He and Erik were about to leave for Russia, and he was saying his goodbyes. He wanted her to know that even though he knew her dark secret. She hadn't changed in his eyes. She was still the beautiful being that she was before.

"I'll miss you." She whispered back. He was the only person that knew, that understood.

"I'll miss you too. But when we gat back, I promise to make you as much hot chocolate as I can make." He told her. It was his attempt to make her smile. After the chat the previous night. They had discovered she had a rather large sweet tooth for the stuff.

"I will take you up on that." She replied. They pulled away smiling at eachother. He gently kissed her on the cheek, gave her a wink and walked away. But as he did his hand trailed down her arm till his fingers were brushing against hers. She lifted her arm slightly to try and keep the contact for as long as she could, but eventually they had to separate. And he left, but not with out glancing back at her one more time.

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Everyone was sat around in yet another room. No one asked what had happened between Sandy and Charles. Due to the words that had set her off, they could assume what had upset her. Alex and Darwin were in the corner playing on a pinball machine, while the others say around. Sandy was reading a book that Charles had left her. His attempt at making the time 'fly by'. She was enjoying her book, when a few agents passed by the window.

"Oh I didn't know the circus was in town. Hey. Come on honey. Give us a little..." He then made some wing movements with his hands. Feeling self conscious Sandy pulled the blanket she had, tighter around her body. "No? Come on let's see the foot. There it is come on big foot lets go. Hey, hey come on hey." As he was talking Hank got up and pressed a button that closed the curtains giving them their privacy.

"They're just guys being stupid." Raven tried to comfort Angel.

"Guys being stupid I can handle. I've had that my whole life but I'd rather a bunch of guys stare at me with my clothes off then the way these ones stare at me." Angel told her.

"At us." Raven whispered. She of all people knew what it was like to be stared at.

Suddenly there was a suspicious sound echoing through the base. Sandy froze. She knew that sound. Oh she knew it very well. So well that it haunted her nightmares.

"What was that. Something doesn't feel right." Darwin asked. He approached the middle of the room, opening the curtains so that they could look out. No one had noticed Sandy's current state.

"Oh no. He's here." Sandy whispered to herself. Her veins had turned to ice, her heart was in her throat and she was starting to feel dizzy. Darwin's head slightly inclined towards her, he had heard her. But as the sound continued he was distracted.

"What is that?" Darwin he asked as they all looked out of the window. Then a body feel from the sky. It was the main agent of the facility. One of the only agents that had seen them as people and not monsters.

Naturally everyone screamed, every one except Sandy who just stared wide eyed. The courtyard filled with agents armed with guns.

"Get back get back." One of the guards yelled at them. Suddenly Azazel appeared behind them.

"Behind you." Everyone shouted in warning. The guard turned and immediately started shooting at him. But he was too fast and was killing them all in a literal puff of smoke. While that happened on one side of them, a tornado was destroying Cerebro on the other. Darwin, who had been shielding everyone from possible bullets, while they took cover behind one of the sofas made a decision.

"Stay here my ass. Let's go." He yelled. They all took off down the hall, running into a few agents that were guarding the corridor.

"Get back." They shouted.

"We can help." Darwin argued trying to get through. But they were pushed back. Giving up, they ran back to the room. By this point both windows were smashed in and all the guards were dead on the ground. Both Azazel and Riptide were entering through the windows, making the group of mutants crowd into a corner. Sandy moving into the middle as to try and be hidden.

"You want the mutants. There right through that door. Just let us normal people go. We're no threat-" The group heard a guard saying outside the door. They then heard the gunshots before the man himself, the devil in their hell, the star of their nightmares, entered the room.

"Where's the telepath?" Were the first words out of his mouth.

"Not here." Azazel replied. His eyes scanning over the remaining occupants of the room.

"Well that's a shame, at least I can take this silly thing off." He removed the strange helmet that he wore. "Good evening my names Sebastian Shaw, and I am not here to hurt you."

"Freeze." One of the only living guards shouted as he aimed the gun at Shaw's head. Sandy closed her eyes, she knew how this would end. Shaw simply called for Azazel, who then killed him in a puff of red smoke. Shaw walked to the middle of the room so as to properly address them.

"My friends, there's a revolution coming. When man kind discovers who we are, what we can do. Each of us will face a choice to be a slave or rise up to rule. Choose freely, but know if you are not with us then by definition you are against us. So, you can stay and fight for the people that hate and fear you or you can join me and live like kings," Shaw looked down to see that Angel seemed to be the one breaking. "and queens." He finished. Angel took his hand and let him pull her away.

"Angel." Raven whispered in shock.

"Are you kidding me?" Sean asked.

"Come on, we don't belong here, and that's nothing to be ashamed of." Angel told them. Shaw looked to see if anyone was swayed by what she said, and was shocked at what he saw.

"Sandra?" He whispered. When Angel had moved she had unintentionally revealed her. Immediately the whole groups eyes went to her. She was shaking and her eyes were wide as stared at him. Suddenly she disappeared in red smoke and she appeared in front of Shaw, who lifted his hand to stroke her cheek. She flinched away, but couldn't get very far since Azazel was holding her by the forearms.

"My beautiful darling. You thought you'd got away from me didn't you. Don't you know, I'm always going to be there. Don't you know blood can always find blood." The remaining group of mutants looked at each other in confusion. Shaw saw this and decided to mess with Sandy a little. "What did she not tell you. Her greatest secret was always that she was my daughter." The entire teams eyes immediately locked onto Sandy, but she looked away. She didn't want to see the betrayal in their eyes.

"Just leave me alone." She begged him. She no longer could hold back the sobs that racked her body. Shaw made his way out of the room with Angel, after signalling Azazel to pull Sandy along. She was struggling, trying to escape. Darwin could see she wanted to escape, but was unable.

"We have to do something." Raven whispered to them. In that second Darwin made a decision. He turned to Alex and exchanged a few words.

"Stop. I'm coming with you. " Darwin called out. He looked up to see Sandy shaking her head at him.

"Good choice. So tell me about your mutation." Shaw asked.

"Well I adapt to survive, so I guess I'm coming with you." Darwin told him, subtly moving towards Sandy.

"I like that." Shaw remarked smirking at him. Darwin went to take the hand of Azazel.

"Alex." He called. He quickly punched Azazel, grabbing Sandy and turning so that he could shield her. He would have protected Angel but she had chosen her side. She was against them.

"Get down." Alex called, as he began to create the red loops he made with his mutation. He aimed at Shaw, ignoring the cry of warning from Sandy. Shaw showed himself to be unfazed. As a back up plan, Darwin attempted to punch him in the face, but was blocked. Sandy was now on the ground, whispering a prayer to herself that her farther would somehow change and just leave him alone.

"Protecting your fellow mutants, it's a noble gesture feels good. Adapt to this." Shaw snarled, before channelling the energy that he had absorbed from Alex into a ball, before forcing it down Darwin's throat. As Darwin began to shake, Shaw and his disciples disappeared. The rest of the group looked at Darwin they didn't know what to do, how could they save him? Suddenly Sandy jumped up and grabbed Darwin's shoulders, pulling him down until his mouth hovered over hers. Then they looked in shock as the energy was sucked out of Darwin and into Sandy. Immediately her body trembled and she fell to the ground shaking. The area around her mouth had been tinged red which spread to her cheeks before reseeding back to her lips then disappearing. They all ran to her side, Darwin checking her vitals. Her world faded into black as they all called out her name.


	6. Chapter 6- A New Home

Chapter Six

The next morning they were all sat outside what remained of the base. Darwin was sat by Sandy rubbing her back since she had yet to stop trembling. After she had saved his life she had only been unconscious for a few minutes before she woke up. Darwin didn't care that she was Shaw's daughter. She had tried to save his life at the risk of her own, and succeeded. He didn't care who her dad was, she was obviously nothing like him. He looked up as Charles and Erik quickly approached.

"Raven." Charles immediately said embracing his sister. He pulled away running his eyes over the group, noticing that Sandy was safe he exhaled in relief.

"We've made arrangements for you to be taken home immediately." Charles said to the group. He was a fool to try and fight such a powerful mutant with a bunch of teenagers.

"We're not going." Sean declared for the group.

"What." Charles asked dumbfounded.

"And he's not going back to prison." Sean continued as if Charles hadn't spoken.

"He almost killed Darwin and Sandy." Alex pointed out resting his hand on Sandy's shoulder, gently rubbing it. He too didn't care that she was the daughter of such a vile man, she'd chosen them, and that's what mattered.

"All the more reason to leave, this is over." Charles said quickly flicking his gaze over to Sandy.

Are you ok? He whispered in her mind.

She looked up and met his eyes for the first time since he entered the quad. Her eyes were full of sadness and pain but she simply gave him a small smile for a second before her face fell again. I've been better. She replied back.

"Darwin is only alive because of Sandy Charles, otherwise we wouldn't even be able to bury him" Raven stated, drawing his attention away from the women that filled his thoughts.

"We can avenge him." Erik called. He had come this far, he didn't want to waste the best chance he had at getting his revenge on the man that killed his mother.

"Erik a word please." Charles called, grabbing Erik's arm and pulling him slightly away from the group. "They're just kids. " He hissed at the taller man.

"No, they were just kids. Shaw has his army we need ours. " Erik attempted to persuade. But Charles didn't look at all convinced.

"Erik's right." A voice declared behind them. They turned around to see Sandy standing with a look of determination on her face.

"He can't be allowed to continue." She continued. "He must be stopped."

"Sandy..." Charles whispered, walking forward. He wanted to comfort her, hold her. Envelope her in his arms and run away to his home and keep her safe there forever, just him and her. She may have been standing with confidence, but he could see she was shaking.

"I have spent fifteen years of my life running from that man. The one man in the world who is suppose to love and protect me, and he is the one that has hurt me the most." She spoke, directly speaking to him, hardly noticing that everyone else was staring at them.

"Please Charles, help me." She whispered to him. He looked into her eyes, he could see the determination. She would do it, with or without his help. And finally he gave in.

"We'll have to train. All of us. Yes?" Charles addressed the group.

"Yes." Alex answered for them all. They wanted to stop the psychopath.

"We've got no where to go. Even if they reopen the department it's not safe. We've got nowhere to go. " Hank spoke. That was Hank all over, always the practical thinker.

"Yes we do." Charles replied smiling. He glanced over at Sandy, he was going to get his wish, he got to take her home. Little did he know that someone else was staring at her. Erik wanted to know what her previous comments about Shaw meant. And he would find out, as soon as her bodyguard, Charles, was gone, and she was alone.


	7. Chapter 7- A Joining of Tragic Hearts

Chapter Seven

"This is yours?" Sean asked in shock. The group had traveled to England and now stood in front of Charles' childhood home. Sandy looked up at the place in shock. It looked like the kind of place where all children would love to live.

"No it's ours." Charles stated. He loved the look of awe on Sandy's face, the way her eyes lit up at the sight of his grand home.

"Honestly Charles, I don't how you survived living in such hardships." Erik quipped. Despite having become very good friends, it was clear that they had had very different upbringings.

"Well it was a hardship softened by me." Raven said while pushing her way to the front of the small group. Leaning into Charles as he wrapped an arm around her and laid a gentle kiss on her temple. He looked back at Sandy, wanting to see her face at his home, but was met with a sight that made his heart clench. He was right, she was looking up at the house in absolute awe as he'd hoped, but what he wasn't expecting was for Darwin to be standing next to her with his arm around her shoulders. He knew they'd grown close since she had saved his life. He could tell since she and Darwin had sat next to each other the entire way here. Charles' eyes were downcast at the fear that he may not get what he most desired in this world, a chance to show Sandy how he really felt. Raven saw the sad look in her brothers eyes and tried to create a distraction. "Come on time for the tour."

With that the majority of the gang followed Raven into the house. Erik lingered a moment hoping he'd be alone so he could get to have his chat with the mysterious Sandy. But seeing how Charles made no sign that he'd move, he decided that it would be more productive for him to receive the tour, and followed the rest into the house.

While Sandy was still staring at the house in awe, Charles was looking at her with the same expression. She looked so beautiful stood there, her golden red hair glowing in the sunshine, looking like fire, her face bathed in the rays of light. Raven had leant her more clothes. She was now wearing a dark brown dress that came up high on her chest completely covering her modesty. It then went down to a little past her knees. The dress didn't have any sleeves which is why she she wore a shirt underneath her dress that reached her wrists covering her arms. She was also wearing tights and boots that reached high up her leg. She didn't like her skin exposed, probably since she was covered in scars. Over this ensemble she wore a long coat that reached to the back of her knees. She looked beautiful. He smiled at her. A smile that only she was at the end of.

"Are you going to stand there all day, or do you want to see the inside?" He asked her, bringing her out of her trance.

"I can't believe you grew up here. It's not a house, it's a castle." She whispered in reverence. He laughed at her response. He then looked at her smiled and held his hand out to her.

"Come on." He compelled. She smiled at him timidly and took his hand. He gave it a squeeze and gently tugged her towards the house. He wanted to show her where he grew up. Where he hoped, maybe she after all this was over, may even come and live. It wasn't like she had any other place to go.

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Sandy was looking around the room that Charles had declared was hers. It was big and had a real fire place. It had a four poster bed, brown walls and various pieces of furniture. The room itself was simple but to Sandy it was majestic.

She had just gotten out of the bath, and was wearing a bath robe. She was relishing the softness of it when she felt a lump poking into her thigh. Confused she reached into her pocket, only to find something wrapped in a cloth, opening she found some squares of chocolate the with the note, 'from Charles' with it. She smiled, bringing the chocolate up to her nose, inhaling the sweet smell.

She jumped when she heard a throat clearing behind her. Spinning around she saw Erik standing in her doorway staring at her.

Placing the chocolate down she decided to speak. "Yes?"

"It's time we talked. Why did Shaw single you out." Erik demanded. He wasn't a man to play around the bush, he was straightforward and to the point.

Her whole body stiffened. He was the last person she wanted to talk to. God did she wish that Charles was there, to defend her, to help her explain, to hold her.

"Well, why?" He demanded.

"Because parents tend to be possessive over their children." She whispered. She was scared of his reaction. She knew enough about him to know that he had history with her farther. But maybe that was the point, he had the same history as her.

An array of emotions passed over his face. First it transformed into one of shock, then to confusion, then finally settled on anger. He suddenly began to rush at her. She didn't know his intentions, she doubted he did either, but when he was only a metre away she stood up and surprised him by dropping her robe and standing bare in front of him. Immediately he froze.

If only took a second for his brain to register the reason why she'd done it. Her body was covered in scars. Jagged lines crossing her torsos, and her back. Arms covered in small scratches. Erik slowly circled her, eyes only on the scars. Never wavering from these deep marks.

Finally he found the words that had previously escaped him. "It looks like we both had similar childhoods."

"I didn't get any special treatment being his daughter. If anything it was worse, I was the potential for another him. I tried escaping but he found me. He always found me." She whispered. He was once again facing her, but this time his eyes held understanding, and his hands held her robe. She took it and silently slipped it back on.

"It's nice to know that I'm not the only monster here." He told her. And then he abruptly turned and left. As he closed the door he didn't notice the presence waiting.

"Your wrong." Charles' voice declared. Erik turned to him in surprise. Charles was leaning against a wall opposite the door. "You are not a monster. And neither is she." With that he simply shrugged past Erik and went straight into Sandy's room.

The minute he was through the door, Sandy had turned around and run straight into his arms, which curled around her forming a protective veil between her and the world. She was sniffling and her cheeks were already wet from tears. He tried shushing her to sooth her and it worked slightly.

"How did you know?" She whispered against his chest.

"You called out to me, in your head. I heard you." He answered simply, resting his cheek against her head. And they stayed like that for a while.


	8. Chapter 8-Training

Chapter Eight

Sandy stood in the middle of the room wearing clothes that Raven had deemed appropriate for training. A pair of jogging bottoms and a tank top. But she was self conscious so she had put a cardigan over the top. She was waiting for Hank and Charles to stop fiddling with whatever machine they were using. Understandably, after years of being experimented on she was cautious of the machine, but she trusted Charles. She knew he would never deliberately set out to hurt her.

"Ok Sandy," Charles began walking towards her. "I want you to do something very simple, can you use your energy to create a wall between yourself and the machine?"

"I think so, why?" She asked him. She was confused but knew he was going somewhere with this.

"I want to see how strong your energy is. I know that it makes for an effective oftence, but I want to see if it is a good defence to. This machine will fire balls at you and all you have to do is hold up the wall and see if they bounce off. Sound ok?" He asked. He walked up to her and took her upper arms into his hands. "You know if your uncomfortable we don't have to do this. But know if you do, I'll be right here." He whispered to her. He didn't want to scare her, she had already been through enough.

"No it's ok. I'll do it. I trust you." She said, looking into his eyes. She did trust him, with everything she had.

"That's my girl." He whispered sending her a wink that made her cheeks flush. "Ok Hank, we are good to go." He gave her arms one more squeeze, before walking away to stand by the wall, giving her the space she needed.

"Alright, if you could just gather the energy Sandy then I'll start the machine." Hank said very matter of factly.

She nodded in reply. Bouncing slightly on her toes she allowed the energy to travel down her arm and leak from her finger tips. Slowly the energy gathered in front of her. Starting from directly in front of her and spreading around, almost like there was a sheet of glass between her and the machine and the energy was spreading along it. Her golden eyes shown a little brighter. Soon there was a large wall of golden energy in front of her, and Hank turned on the machine. The balls bounced off the energy like they would a concrete wall. The energy remained unmoved and solid, protecting her.

Charles smiled at the side, proud of her. But then was surprised when the door opened revealing Darwin.

"Hey Sandy I thought that you might like a sandwich..." He didn't look up, but Charles looked at the change in Sandy, it was almost like she suddenly went on the defensive. One of her hands stayed up maintaining the shield while her other raised and shot a blast at Darwin. Charles immediately grabbed the young man pulling him to the floor out of the way. The energy hit the wall, sizzling for a moment before leaving a scorch mark in the wood.

The loud noise seemed to snap Sandy out of her trance like state. Immediately her face fell and she took a couple of steps forward towards Darwin and Charles.

"Darwin? I am so sorry I... I didn't mean to." She hastily said, covering her mouth with her hand.

But she was worrying about nothing. Darwin simply looked at the mark let on the wall, and laughed. "Damn girl, you got some power." His laughter soon relaxed Sandy who laughed, who set off Charles, who in turn set off Hank, till the whole room was full of laughter.

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Sandy sat outside, Charles had left her a book to read after her training. She was enjoying it immensely. It was full of magic, and magical creatures on a large quest. She was enjoying the tale when she heard the sound of gravel crunching. She looked up to see Charles and Hank running past her, Charles shooting Sandy a wink as he passed making her giggle. As they passed she overheard their conversation.

Hank Was obviously answering a question that he had asked before. "Robert Louis Stevenson; Jekyll and Hyde."

Charles nodded at him, "Top marks. The story wasn't about good and evil though, was it Hank? It was about man's animal nature and his struggle to control it, to conform. And it's that struggle which is holding you back."

"No. Jekyll was afraid of what he could be capable of." Hank argued. He could see where Charles was going with this.

"And you are too." Charles commented. His eyes flickered to Sandy knowing that she too was scared of what she was capable of. He turned back to Hank, "If you wanna beat me this time, you have to set the beast free. On your marks. Get set. Go!"

They set off running with Hank easily overtaking Charles, with the help of his feet. Not only did he overtake Charles but during their run he finished a lap round the ground in seconds. Patting Charles on the shoulder making him jump and stop running.

"Congratulations my friend! Robert Louis Stevenson would have been proud." He commented. Alex then walked up to them.

"Impressive, Hank. Feet like those, all you need is a red nose. Right Bozo?" He mocked.

Sandy could tell that Hank was upset all he wanted to do was be accepted. "I'm done here." He stated walking away.

Charles sighed, "Thank you, Alex."

Sandy pulled a face. That wasn't fair. Wasn't he going to be punished, he had been mean. And before she realised what was happening, some gold wisps were escaping her fingers and heading towards Alex's legs. The blonde was walking away when he found his legs being pulled out from under him and he was being suspended in the air with his feet pointing skyward.

Naturally he screamed. "What the hell is happening! Get me down!"

Hearing the commotion Hank turned around to see the spectacle, and couldn't stop the laugh from escaping him. Charles was also laughing he glanced at Sandy to see her looking shocked and scared, as if she believed she was going to be punished for her accidental use of her powers. But he smiled at her reassuringly.

It's ok. It was just an accident. But perhaps you should let him down now. Charles whispered in Sandy's mind. She smiled tentatively back at him before letting Alex gently fall back to the ground landing on his back.

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After relaxing for a while, everyone had gathered at one of the windows to watch Sean's next training session.

He was sitting at the edge of a windowsill and wearing Hanks' man made wings. "Now remember, scream as hard as you can." Charles told him. He didn't look worried at all surprising Sandy.

Hank decided to contribute to informing Sean. "You need the sound waves to be supersonic. Catch them at the right angle and they should carry you." He reported to him.

Sean looked at him incredulously, "'They should carry me.' That's reassuring." He said sarcastically.

Charles just smiled reassuringly at him. "Good luck. And don't forget to scream." He then backed off giving Sean some room.

Sean proceeded to make the sign of a cross over his chest. Before taking a deep breath and allowing hi,self to fall. He let out a pathetic attempt before hitting the ground. Making all the others laugh.

Charles himself was trying to hold in his laughter. "I told you to scream."

Sean was clearly rather annoyed at the situation. "Maybe I should push you out of a window and see if you scream."

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Later that day, Sandy and the others were all gathered, listening to President Kennedy's speech on TV about the situation in Cuba.

"That's where we're gonna find Shaw." Erik commented pointing at the TV with his gun casually like he had forgotten he was holding it.

Alex looked up at him incredulously, "How do you know?"

Charles, who was sat next to Sandy replied, "Two super powers facing off, and he wants to start world war three. He won't leave anything to chance."

"Your right, he'll be there. He will be at the heart of it." Sandy whispered. Her eyes were fixed on the screen and her hands were trembling slightly at the idea of seeing her farther agian. Charles took one look at her hands, before taking one of them in his own, rubbing his thumb along the back of it.

"So much for diplomacy." He commented, turning to Raven, Alex, Hank, Darwin and Sean he instructed, "I suggest you all get a good nights sleep."


	9. Chapter 9- Connection

Chapter Nine:

Sandy couldn't believe it. Tomorrow they were either going to stop Shaw, or die trying. But that would be better then this never ending wait. This was going through her head so much that she couldn't sleep. She got up to get another one of those delicious hot chocolates. She was wondering around in a simple nighty that went down to her knees. She also wore a cardigan to hide her scars. Having made her hot chocolate she was simply wondering around the mansion admiring it. It really was beautiful. So warm and safe, she's barely been there a week and it already felt like home. She passed by one of the doors only to hear Charles and Erik talking. As usual her heart accelerated at the thought of seeing Charles, so timidly she poked her head around the door.

"Shaw has declared war on mankind, on all of us." Erik remarked to Charles while moving a chess peice.

"He has to be stopped." Charles declared. He knew it was the only way to give Sandy peace, to stop the man that tormented her for her whole life. The man she lived in fear of, and yet couldn't escape from.

"I'm not going to stop Shaw, I'm going to kill him." Erik stated so surely that it made Sandy stop dead in her tracks. The surety in his voice scared her. "Do you have it in you to allow that?" Did Charles? "You've known all along why I was here, Charles." He...he knew? Sandy thought to herself.

"But things have changed. What started as a covert mission, tomorrow, mankind will know that mutants exist." That was the Charles she knew. Always believing in the best of humanity, even when they gave him no reason to.

"Shaw, us, they won't differentiate. They'll fear us. And that fear will turn to hatred." As much as she didn't want to agree with him, she did a little.

"Not if we stop a war. Not if we can prevent Shaw. Not if we risk our lives doing so." Yes, yes Charles, oh please be right, Sandy begged to herself.

"Would they do the same for us?" Erik asked, knowing the answer.

"We have it in us to be the better men."

"We already are. We're the next stage of human evolution. You said it yourself!" Erik was starting to get worked up now, trying to get his point across.

"No..." Charles whispered.

"Are you really so naive as to think that they won't battle their own extinction? Or is it arrogance?" Erik asked leaning towards Charles over the chess set that they were no longer paying any attention to.

"I'm sorry?" Charles asked, offence taking over his face.

"After tomorrow, they're going to turn on us. But you're blind to it, because you believe they're all like Moira." Erik practically spat at Charles.

"And you believe they're all like Shaw." Charles argued. His mind drifting to Sandy as it often did. "Listen to me very carefully, my friend. Killing Shaw will not bring you peace."

"Peace was never an option." Erik declared, thinking nothing of how horrid the statement was.

"And what would Sandy say to this?" Erik looked surprised at the mention of the mutant currently hovering by the door, now listening more attentively. "I am no fool. Since she showed you her scars you two have had something, a connection. A shared pain, a shared suffering. You may not have acted on it, but it's there. I don't need to be telepathic to notice. What do you think she would say?"

"With every thing that she went through at the hand of that man? She would obviously agree with me." Erik commented looking away from Charles, almost as if the answer was so obvious that Charles was a fool to ask the question.

"I hope you're wrong." Charles said. "That women's heart is to full of good to do something like that."

"But torture has a way of influencing people to do the most surprising things. Even when it is in the past." Erik was speaking from experience.

"But not me." Sandy commented, finally stepping forward. Both men tuned to look at her. "Because to wish death upon another, would make me something I never want to be, my farther's daughter. I will never be that, I will always be tainted by his blood, I will never be any more his then that. So no Erik I don't agree with you. I only hope that you come to the same conclusion before you go down a road that is to dark to find you way out from." Both men looked at her in shock. Sandy had never spoken out like this to either of them. Charles started to allow a small awed smile to appear across his lips, as Erik's face portrayed an expression that could slightly remind someone of a chastised child.

Sparing one last glance at Charles she left the room, swiftly closing the door behind her.

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"Until recently, I never had to use my power to know what you were thinking, Raven." Charles remarked in his kitchen later on in the evening to his adopted sister. He had been looking for Sandy but was unable to find her.

"Charles, I used to think it was going to be you and me against the world. But no matter how bad the world gets, you don't want to be against it, do you? You want to be a part of it." Raven stormed off leaving Charles to let out a sigh of exasperation before closing his eyes and rubbing his head. He allowed his head to rest on his hands before allowing his eyes to slip open and glance absentmindedly out the window and into the garden. Which is when he spotted something on the ground. He got up to get a closer look, it was Sandy. So that's where she was. She was simply lying on the ground outside, staring up at the sky. She looked... strangely peaceful. He tentatively reached his mind out to hers, and heard a beautiful tune being hummed. Before he knew it he found himself outside approaching her where she lay.

"My mother used to sing it to me." Sandy remarked, she had felt him in her mind, not as a horrible pressing sensation as one would have expected, but as a gentle cool caress creating relief, almost like he was taking some of the weight on to him. She knew he was behind her, she had heard him approach.  
"At least I like to think she did, I don't remember her. I don't know for sure that's where I first heard it. I just like to think it was from her." She told him.

He smiled gently at her, before laying down next to her and resting his arms across his stomach. "Either way it's a beautiful tune." He remarked to her.

For a few moments they simply lay there, basking in the quiet and gentle silence that the beauty of the night produced.

"Am I damned?" Her voice cut through the silence. Charles looked at her in shock.

"What?" He whispered in shock. She didn't look at him, but he could see a single tear running down the side of her face and disappearing into her hair.

"Because I am his daughter, because I have his blood in my veins, am I dammed? Does that make me a bad person?" She asked.

"Look at me." She did, "What do you think?" He wanted her to come to the answer on her own.

"I don't... _feel_ like a bad person." She whispered broke lay to him. Her eyes filled to the brim with tears just waiting to escape.

"Why would you think that in the first place? From the moment I first saw you, I couldn't look away. You, even in your chains and dirty, were the most enchanting creature I had ever seen." He turned his whole body to face hers. "You are the only one who can shock me. Wanting to spare the life of the man who you have every right to want dead."

Neither had realised that they had moved closer together, until Charles ever so slowly moved slightly closer still. Her tears were still falling but her eyes had this look of awe in them, and a shyness that was to be expected, she most likely had never been this close to a man in this sort of situation before. Ever so slowly he closed the gap bringing their lips together in the most pure and innocent kiss that had ever been. There was no movement, no changing of rhythm or pace, just the simplicity and beauty of a kiss so pure, that it brought a tear to Charles' eye which fell down his cheek gently trailing into the smallest gap between them. Gently Charles pulled away, but stayed with in breathing distance, looking into her eyes. They were filled with both joy and nervousness.

"Was that ok?" She whispered, for any sound louder then a whisper would break the silence.

He laughed in delight and incredulous at her question. "Let's put it this way, I would wait an eternity, just to spend one night with you, but then I would wait another, just to spend another hour with you in my arms. I have never met any one like you."

"Is this what love feels like?" The vulnerability in her eyes made Charles want to cry for her, it was clear that she had never felt love before, in any form.

As a reply he nodded and then pressed another kiss to her lips.

Eventually they retreated back to the house, and spent the remainder of the night curled up in front of the fire on blankets and cushions in Charles' room, quite content basking in the warmth of their affections, for what may have been their last night, to enjoy the other.

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	10. Chapter 10- Battle

Chapter 10:

After everyone had woken up they all traveled down to the lab, expecting to find Hank ready and waiting to give them their outfits, but what they found was a destroyed room, with broken tables and broken bottles scattered everywhere. Sandy spared a brief look at Raven thinking she might know what was going on and was surprised to see her in her blue form.

"What the hell happened here?" Erik commented as they walked in the door. He glanced at Sandy and could see how her shoulders had tensed. He knew why. It was being in a laboratory, both had spent to much time in them, being opened up, being poked and prodded. The state of the room only made her more uncomfortable. Gently he rested a hand on her shoulder, gave it a brief squees before releasing her and continuing into the room. She aimed a brief smile at his back, in thanks.

"Hank has been busy." Erik then commented as he looked down at the insides of the trunk that Charles had just opened up. While Charles couldn't help but smile at the sight of his friend and the girl that he cared so deeply for offering each other comfort on something only they could really understand.

"Do we really have to wear these?" Alex commented pulling a face at the bright coloured suits.

"I second that." Darwin muttered making Sandy shake her head with a look of exasperated fondness.

Charles answered not even glancing their way. "As none of us mutated to endure extreme g-force or being riddled by bullets, I suggest we suit up."

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After suiting up the group all stood beside the plane looking up at it in awe it was so big and intimidating just because of its size and the sleek black cover made it look dark and almost sinister to Sandy.

"Where is Hank?" Raven asked having noticed the geniuses absence.

"I'm here." Called a deep voice from the entrance.

As he approached, all that Sandy and the others could see was a shadowed shape much more bulky then they were used to and he appeared to have fur growing on his arms. Weary of this new development, Charles hesitantly called out to his friend, "Hank?"

Much like Sandy, Hank had experienced a life changing event, but unlike Sandy his had changed his appearance giving him blue fur and making his face more animalistic with sharp fangs. "It didn't attack the cells. It enhanced them. It didn't work." Hank explained while lowering his head in shame. Sandy didn't understand the explanation but she didn't understand why he was ashamed of his new appearance. And neither did Raven.

"Yes, it did, Hank. Don't you see?" At her words Hank looked up and slowly started to approach her. "This is who you were meant to be. This is you." As she said this she raised her hand and rested it on his cheek. "No more hiding." He gave a slight almost unnoticeable nod gently rubbing his cheek against her hand.

"You never looked better, man." Erik commented in respect while slapping him on the shoulder. Almost immediately Hanks hand shot out and grabbed him around the neck choking him. immediately Sandy was at his side putting her hand onto Hanks arm trying to pull him off.

"Hank?" Charles said. This was so out of the nature of his friend that he had a hard time getting over the shock at first.

Meanwhile Hank was barring his teeth at Erik like an animal, "Don't mock me!" He growled leaning in to him. Seeing him getting worked up made Darwin stand forward and assist in trying to pull him off of Erik. This was very different to Charles' technique which was to try and treat his friend the same as he would have done before, by talking to him.

"Hank, put him down immediately, please." Charles ordered him, but when he showed no sign of doing so Charles' voice became more commanding and urgent, "Hank! Hank!" Finally Hank released him causing Erik to fall to the floor and Sandy to drop with him to check on him, while Darwin stepped back no longer seeing any trouble.

As Erik was recovering on the floor, subtly noticing, as did Charles, that Sandy was feeding him some energy through the hand she had resting on his shoulder, he managed to mutter a response to Hank's previous statement. "I wasn't."

"Even I got to admit you look pretty badass." Alex commented walking up like nothing had happened. "I think I got a new name for you. Beast." This was likely his way of apologising for the previous comments against him.

"You're sure you can fly this thing?" Sean asked looking up at the jet.

"Of course I can. I designed it." Hank told them like it was obvious.

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They were all now on the plane. Sandy had ended up being seated between Erik and Darwin. Sandy had only ever been on a plane once when Charles and Erik braught her to America and she had slept the entire way, making this seem like her first time on one and she could admit that she certainly was not enjoying the experience, she felt sick and uncomfortable. This went unnoticed by Erik who instead asked her about the new thing she had shown she could do.

"Before when Hank let go of me, you did something with your hand, what was it?" He asked. He also noticed that Charles too was listening in.

"I gave you some of my energy to help you recover quicker." She answered, if she had been feeling better then she would have spoken as if that was the most obvious answer, but due to the churning in her stomach the statement came out all croaky.

"Did you know that you could do that?" He asked.

"Yes I have done it before." Before he could ask any more questions she bowed her head and clenched her eyes, as once again her stomach gave an unappreciated roll. Erik noticing her struggle and un-comfort, rested a hand on her leg rubbing it in hopes it would bring her some comfort. After their conversation ended Sandy didn't pay attention to much that was said to busy willing her stomach to calm down. She only tuned in again when the plane suddenly tilted causing her head to fly back up against the head rest and the unease in her stomach to increase to a dangerous level.

When they had once again steadied, Sandy heard Hank's voice from the front, "A little warning next time, Professor."

"Sorry about that." He commented nonchalantly. "You all right?" He directed his question to his sister beside him, but it was Sean who answered in a breathy voice. "Yeah."

"What about you Sandy?" Receiving no response he looked up at her, "Sandy?!" He noticed how her whole face had turned green.

"Uhhh... I don't think she can answer right now professor I think she is trying not to throw up." Darwin commented whilst looking at her face. She then glanced up at Erik.

"I may be sick on you." She whispered to him. He gave a light chuckle in response knowing that if she could talk she likely wasn't going to be sick.

"That's ok." He told her giving her leg a pat. She then once again blanked out of everything they were saying focusing on settling her stomach instead. She vaguely noticed Erik rising from his seat and talking going on between him and Charles but didn't focus on it enough to know what was being said.

Her stomach began to settle when she started to be able to breath in fresh air, someone had opened the ramp door, allowing for some fresh air to circulate. This managed to clear her head so much that she was once again able to see and understand what was going on.

"Are you ready for this?" Charles asked Erik, they were both standing now.

"Let's find out." Was Erik's only response. Sandy watched in shock as Erik climbed out of the plane and Charles hovered near the edge of the hole. Everything was still for a few moments when suddenly a submarine rose from the water. She was just about able to see the top hatch open for her fathers associate, Riptide, to exit the craft. He took one look at their plane and proceeded to send a massive tornado their way.

"Erik, take my hand!" Charles urgently called out to Erik.

"Hold on, guys. It's gonna get bumpy." Hank commented from the front of the plane finally noticing the incoming tornado.

"Erik, take my hand!" Charles again shouted as the tornado hit them. Hank was doing his best to level the plane so that Charles could pull Erik in but they were still starting to spin. Eventually as the plane started to break up, Erik made his way back inside and then proceeded to use his magnetic abilities to pin himself and Charles to the floor so that they would not be thrown around the compartment as the plane twisted and turned.

Finally the plain stopped rolling now that it had hit the beach, they were all left hanging upside down as their belts and harnesses kept them all in place in their seats. Erik lowered himself and Charles to, what use to be the ceiling and was now the floor. The second Charles touched the floor he was already up again and running to Sandy.

"Sandy? Sandy, are you all right?" He urgently asked as he began un-buckling her from her seat and helped to correct her so she was now the right way up.

"Well... I wasn't sick." She muttered to him, a little dazed and disorientated from the crash. He smiled at her response, since she said it so seriously like this was a really big achievement.

"That's my girl." He whispered while bringing her into a quick hug and pressing a kiss to her hairline.

Sadly he didn't have the time to saviour the feeling of her in his arms which he was quickly coming to crave. They had a mission. "I read the teleporter's mind." He said as he walked towards a window. "Shaw is drawing all the power out of his sub. He's turning himself into some kind of nuclear bomb."

"We got no time. The Geiger count is going out of control." Moira reported as she checked the readings.

"Moira, this is what we're gonna do. Get on the radio and tell them to clear both fleets out immediately." Charles ordered, showing his role as the team leader.

"I'm going in." Erik declared, showing no room for argument in his statement. And Charles took this in his stride.

"Beast, Havok, Darwin, back him up." He commented as he spotted all of Shaw's team standing outside the tub ready to guard their leader.

"I'm going with Erik." Sandy surprised everyone by saying they all turned to look at her in shock.

"No you are not, you are staying here." Charles told her. The last thing that he wanted was for her to go up against Shaw.

"Yes I am. If my father is turning himself into a nuclear bomb then I might be able to draw the energy out of him. Our mutations are similar." She saw the hesitant look on Charles's face and met his eyes with hers, "I _can_ do this. I _need_ to do this." She whispered to him. He took a glimpse into her mind and saw that she was right. She had to do this. It was the only way that she may be able to move on from the suffering that he caused her. He glanced at Erik to see his opinion, Erik just shrugged in response, because honestly he was ok with Sandy coming, maybe they could slay their demons together.

"Ok." Charles told her. "Erik, I can guide you both through once you're in, but I need you to shut down whatever it is that's blocking me, then we just hope to God it's not too late for me to stop him." He then turned to Sandy again and left her a message as they all left, _"Be safe and come back."_

 _"I will."_

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 _"Both of you, make for the middle of the vessel. That's the point my mind can't penetrate. We have to assume that that's where Shaw is."_ Charles' voice guided them through the tub. Sandy wasn't at all surprised that the inside was all lavish, thats just how her father was. Erik made sure that he walked ahead of her, so he would be front line in any dangerous situation.

The minute that Sandy entered the tub she had felt a very strong energy pulsing through it. she could feel it vibrating through her bones and could taste it on her tongue. When passing through the main control room, Charles, through their eyes, saw the machine. _"That's the nuclear reactor. Disable it."_ Erik did as commanded and Sandy felt the energy disperse which relieved her because despite what she had told Charles she wasn't sure if she would be strong enough to absorb that much energy and live.

They passed through the door next to the controls and entered yet another lavish room this one designed to look like a lounge. Charles' voice surprised both of them. _"Erik, you're there. You've reached the void."_

This made Erik look around in frustration. "He's not here, Charles. Shaw's not here!"

Sandy too looked around in tense fear. "Could he have left the sub?" She tentatively asked as her eyes darted around the room. Neither man answered her.

 _"What? He's got to be there. He has to be! There's nowhere else he can be. Keep looking."_ Charles' voice rang in both of their heads. But this seemed to just anger Erik more.

"And I'm telling you he's 's no one here, God damn it!" As his yell finished he saw Sandy looking over his shoulder with wide and fearful eyes. He slowly turned and saw a panel in the wall had opened up revealing the man himself.

"Erik, Sandra. What a pleasant surprise." He commented, as if he was just a normal man greeting two people that he hadn't seen in a long time.

 _"Erik? Sandy?"_ Charles asked both, he could hear the alarm bells that were ringing in both of their minds.

"So good to see you again." He told them. "You look well Sandra, so much like your mother."

"Don't talk about her." She whispered shakily. Erik subtly rested his hand on her arm trying to show her that they were in this together. They slowly approached him entering the room that he stood in. As the door slid shut behind them Sandy felt Charles drop out of her mind, they were on their own.

"May I ask you something? Why are you on their side?" Shaw asked looking at them both. Both of his children, or at least that is how he saw them. "Why fight for a doomed race who will hunt us down as soon as they realise their reign is coming to an end?" Erik responded by punching him across the face. Shaw's face seemed to double, and Sandy was immediately on her guard, they may have stopped him from becoming a nuclear bomb, but he had still absorbed a dangerous amount.

"I'm sorry for what happened in the camps. I truly am." He commented casually, as if Erik hadn't just stuck him. He then touched Erik on the forehead making him fly back into the wall as if he had been struck by a strong blow. This caused a crack to form in the mirror behind him.

 _"He's back!"_ Charles' voice rang victoriously in his head. _"Erik, whatever you're doing, keep doing it. It's starting to work."_

"But everything I did, I did for you. To unlock your power, to make you embrace it." He walked over to Erik and touched his chin, making him fly into a wall and making Sandy jump out of the way. _"It's working! I'm starting to see him, but I can't yet touch his mind."_

 _"Sandy how are you doing."_ Charles whispered in her head. But all he got was silence. _"Sandy?"_ Still nothing. _"Sandy?!"_ She was cutting him off, blocking him from her mind. This was something she needed to do alone.

"You've come a long way from bending gates. I'm so proud of you. And you're just starting to scratch the surface. Think how much further we could go together." As he approached, Erik manipulated all of the piping in the walls to come through and shatter the glass, also trying to keep Shaw away from him. The destruction in the room forced Sandy to take cover in a small space that smashing the glass revealed. She couldn't help but scream out when a large shard of glass fell and impaled her shoulder. This caused Erik to be distracted enough for Shaw to get close enough to pin him to the wall with a large piece of metal. "In fact what the three of us could do together." He said looking over at his daughter for the first time since she had entered the room. "Look how far you have come my wonderful Sandra. From a squealing babe in my arms to this strong woman I see before me, but you can be stronger. I can make you stronger you can be like me." His words drew her out of her little section and she started to walk towards him. This made him smile. He tilted his body so that he was facing both of them. "I don't want to hurt you, Erik or you Sandra. I never did. I want to help you. This is our time. Our age. We are the future of the human race. The both of you and me. This world could be ours." He then turned to face his daughter properly. "All I ever wanted was to give your mother the world, but we know how that turned out." He said giving a little chuckle at the end.

Meanwhile Sandy's whole body was trembling and her eyes were filling with tears. "Stop." She whispered, she couldn't bare to speak any louder.

"I would have given the world to her. But she was weak. Like you are, but that is ok. I will make you strong."

"Stop." Sandy said again this time her voice getting louder.

"The day that your mother died, well that just proved it, she was never going to survive this world. But then again that is why she died after having you, you killed her because you were stronger, it's as simple as that."

"I said stop!" Sandy surprised them all by shouting. Her shout was accompanied by a blast of energy that sent him flying into the wall behind him. She ran up to him and quickly pushed one of her hands against his chest and started drawing the energy out of him.

"My mother died because you were an obsessed bastard!" She screamed at him while using her free hand to punch him in the face making blood leak from his nose. "All that crap you unloaded on me about her being weak was wrong you are the weak one!" She finished her statement with a punch to the mouth giving him blood covered teeth. He was getting weaker and weaker from her drawing the energy from him. "I didn't deserve all the things that you did to me in the name of making me strong! All you did was make me hate you!" She then gave him one more punch to the face before she stumbled away, overwhelmed and tired from all of the energy she had just pulled out of him. Her body began to fall from the exertion of having so much power tingling under her skin, when Erik quickly caught her and lent her up against the wall, letting her rest. Shaw had little energy left, as his body was laid across the floor only his head was raised from the ground by the presence of the wall behind him. His face had sunken in and his clothes were now baggy on him, Sandy had taken so much energy from him that he had started to age to his real age again.

Erik approached him. "Everything you did made me stronger. It made me the weapon I am today. It's the truth. I've known it all along. You are my creator." He removed the helmet from Shaw's head revealing his now white hair, he was still awake bit he was clearly weak, his frail appearance and the blood covering his face gave an image that Erik had never seen in him before. the man was so weak that Charles no longer had to restrain him. He couldn't move.

"Sorry, Charles." Erik commented as he knew what he had to do now.

 _"Erik, please."_ Charles called out to him. _"Be the better man."_

"It's not that I don't trust you." Erik told his friend as he placed the helmet onto his head silencing Charles' voice. He quickly glanced at Sandy to check if he had to worry about her, but she was still slumped against the wall and was barely conscious. Seeing this he turned back to Shaw. "If you're in there, I'd like you to know that I agree with every word you said. We are the future. But, unfortunately, you killed my mother." He then pulled out a very familiar coin out of his pocket, "This is what we're going to do."

"Please, Erik, no." He heard a voice whisper, he turned and looked at Sandy here eyes were mostly closed but she could see enough to understand what was about to happen. "You'll be no better then him."

"I have to do this Sandy. I am sorry, and I hope that you forgive me one day." Erik then turned back to Shaw and continued his long awaited revenge. "I'm going to count to three and I'm going to move the coin." As he spoke the coin raised into the air and began to head towards the unmoving Shaw. "One...Two...Three." And then the coin passed through Shaw's head and just like that it was over.

Shaw was dead.

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Everyone was gathered onto the beach. When the tub was pealed open and the dead body of Shaw floated out and was followed by a levitating Erik who was also holding a weak Sandy over his shoulder.

"Today, our fighting stops!" He called out as he lowered the body to the ground in front of the deceased mans former team. He then lowered himself to the ground, lying Sandy down on the sand as he did.

"Take off your blinders, brothers and sisters. The real enemy is out there. I feel their guns moving in the water, their metal targeting us. Americans, Soviets, humans. United in their fear of the unknown. The Neanderthal is running scared, my fellow mutants!" He then turned to Charles who had been slowly trying to edge his way over to Sandy without alarming his friend Erik. "Go ahead, Charles. Tell me I'm wrong."

Charles reached out to the minds of those on board and saw that Erik was right. He then turned and looked at Moira, who proceeded to run into the plane to report that the beach was secure.

It was in this moment that Sandy managed to wake up, just in time to see all of the missiles heading for the beach. As everyone on the beach began to flinch and was ready to be hit, Erik raised his hand stopping all of the missiles in their tracks, making them simply hand their suspended. in the air. He then slowly began to make them all turn in the opposite direction, so now they were all aiming at the ships.

"Erik, you said yourself, we're the better men." Charles pleaded with Erik. "This is the time to prove it. There are thousands of men on those ships. Good, honest, innocent men! They're just following orders."

"I've been at the mercy of men just following orders." Erik told him, turning his head to face his friend. "Never again." He then sent them flying back.

"Erik, release them!" Charles shouted in desperation for those lives. Sandy was looking up in shock, frozen. Eventually Charles decided on a different technique. "No!" He screamed as he ran down the beach and tackled Erik to the ground. This created a lapse in his concentration causing the missiles to loose their power and some began to fall into the ocean.

"I don't want to hurt you." Erik snarled at Charles as they fought. "Don't make me!" He growled as he elbowed Charles in the face. He then noticed the others starting to run at him.

"Stand back!" He shouted using his abilities to push them all back except for Raven.

"Charles, that's enough!" he yelled as he gained control of them again.

"Erik, stop!" Charles yelled but he couldn't stop him since he was pinned to the floor.

"Ahhhh!" Erik suddenly yelled, falling to his knee's. Charles turned to see that Sandy had sat up and was now drawing the energy out of Erik to try and stop him. Erik quickly reacted sending her flying making her back hit the side of the submarine hard, causing her to lie still. Filled with worry over the women he loved Charles quickly stood up with the intention of running to her, not even noticing that Moira had begun shooting at Erik, which is why he never saw the bullet coming when it hit him in the back.

There was a moment of silence across the beach everyone in shock over what had just happened as Charles fell to the ground. Erik recovered first and quickly ran to his friend, and removed the bullet from his spine. The missiles all dropped into the sea now that Erik was completely distracted.

"I'm so sorry." Erik muttered to Charles as he cradles him. "I said back off!" He shouted noticing once again that the team were all advancing to aid Charles.

Sandy had since shaken off her dazed feelings after hitting her head and was now sprinting across the beach. "Charles!" Erik let her come close and place her hands on Charles' head. He then turned and saw Moira.

"You!" He snarled. "You did this." He then used his powers to make her dog tags strangle her.

"Erik. Please." Charles whispered to his friend. "She didn't do this, Erik. You did." His words seemed to get through to Erik who released Moira and turned back to his friend.

"Us turning on each other, it's what they want. I tried to warn you, Charles. I want you by my side. We're brothers, you and I. All of us together, protecting each other. We want the same thing." He whispered desperately to him. He wanted his friend by his side.

"My friend." Charles whispered, "I'm sorry, but we do not." He then turned his eyes to Sandy, and Erik didn't need to be a mind reader to know what Charles wanted. He wanted a peaceful life, with Sandy. Giving up Erik turned away and stood up, leaving Charles in Sandy's arms and allowing Moira to come forward and speak her apologies.

"Charles! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She whispered tearily to the man she had come to highly respect and care for.

"It's all right. It's all right." He reassured her, as well as reassuring Sandy by telling her he was ok.

"This society won't accept us." Erik said. Taking his stand. "We form our own. The humans have played their hand. Now we get ready to play ours. Who's with me?" He then paused and turned to Raven. "No more hiding."

She walked forward and headed to her brother to check on him. But he only had one thing to say to her. "You should go with him. It's what you want."

"You promised me you would never read my mind." She accused him lightly.

"I know. I promised you a great many things, I'm afraid. I'm sorry." he whispered to her. He then kissed her hand, she kissed his forehead and then turned to Sandy.

"Take care of him." Sandy nodded at her, and sent a small smile to her first friend. As Raven walked next to Erik to join his she suddenly turned to Hank. "And, Beast, never forget. Mutant and proud." Then all of Shaw's people, plus Erik and Raven, formed a line all holding on to each other as Azazal teleported them away. Immediately everyone ran to Charles.

"Help me out, come on." Moira called out to them. "I'm gonna get you to a hospital."

"Wait, Charles. Charles, don't move, okay?" Hank told him sternly.

"I won't." Charles told him honestly. "Actually... I can't feel my legs. I can't feel my legs. I can't feel my legs."

"I might be able to help." Sandy whispered, timidly. They all turned to her in surprise and watched as she held her hand over his wound and saw her hand glow that familiar gold. Her face showed pain for a few seconds, as she channeled all of the extra energy that she had gained into Charles. She then let out a tired sigh and retracted her hand. They all looked in shock to see that the wound was no longer their. Then, in sync, they all glanced down at Charles' legs as he slowly extended a leg successfully and smiled up at Sandy.

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 _In this week of Thanksgiving there is much for which we can be grateful as we look back to where we stood only four weeks ago. The unity of this hemisphere, the support of our allies and the calm determination of the American people. These qualities may be tested many more times in this decade._

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Sandy sat at the window looking out at the green garden that lay in front of her. She was clothed in one of Charles' jumpers and a loose pair of trousers that she had found. She was clutching a mug full of hot chocolate in her hands and looked very content.

She heard some footsteps approaching her and she didn't need to look up to know who it was. "Did you do it then?" She questioned him.

"Yes she won't remember." Charles said as he approached her and sat next to her on the windowsill.

"It's a shame," she muttered. "she was really nice." She didn't look at him. She hadn't really looked at him since they got back. She was scared of what he would think of her since she attacked her own father, and basically lead to his death.

"Yes she was." He replied to her earlier comment. "But this is safer for us and for her."

There was a few moments of silence when she whispered, "What happens now?"

Charles looked at her thoughtful. "Whatever you want I suppose."

She finally looked at him with a face of confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well I mean that if you want to stay here, live here then you can. But if you want to leave then you can do that too. If you want." Everything that he was saying was making him feel vulnerable, and he couldn't help but wonder if this is what everyone felt around him given his mutation.

"Do you not want me to stay?" She asked desperately with a voice full of hurt.

"Of course I do. I want nothing more." He told her truthfully while sliding across the windowsill so he was closer to her. "I just thought... well you have been a little distant since we got back. I thought you wished that you had gone with Erik."

"No it wasn't that. I thought you might think less of me. Because of everything that happened with... with my... father." She looked away from those kind eyes once again, choosing to instead look at her lap.

"How could I ever think any less of you. What you did was brave, it took all the courage that you had and really it was the right thing to do." He told her firmly while pressing the palm of his hand to her face bringing it up so that he could meet her eyes.

"Really?" She whispered.

"Really." He replied leaning in to plant a gentle and pure kiss to her lips. When he pulled away she was smiling shyly at him. "Come here." He whispered to her, tugging her body to his so that he could satisfy his craving to have her in his hands. And they both sat there, enjoying the moment of peace that was the start of their lives together.

Unaware that there was still many challenges to come.

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So there it is. The end.

Never fear there will be a sequel.

I just wanted to thank everyone who stuck with this story and I'm sorry that I was really bad at updating and I plan on never being that bad again.

I hope you have all enjoyed this story as much as I did.


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